PT-015 Housing cracking under pressure?

[lanwu]

I've just taken my 2 week old PT-015 to the Maldives for some scuba shots...The one thing that worried me was that as I descended, I noticed that the housing would give a slight cracking sound every few meters.

Thank goodness it never did leak, but I find it surprising.

Has any other PT-015 owners noticed this? Is this common & expected of light plastic housings?

 

[TedJ]

I remember many stories like this from several months ago. No ones housings cracked. Apparently it's normal, but a bit scary!
I never had it happen.
TedJ

 

[Clutchcargo]

It happens to mine too. I think it's just the back settling into place. If you keep a coating of lube on the o-rings, they'll squirm into place as the back creaks into place from the pressure on the housing.
Cjh

 

[Dee]

I've only had mine to about 30 ft so far but no noises.

The first time I took my PT-010 below 100ft, it creaked, popped and groaned but it didn't crack or leak then or on later dives.

 

[Dr. Jay]

...but it's happend to mine too...in a trip to Blue Springs (about 60-90 ft) where I noticed the "cracking" sound. I've had it on somewhere around 10 dives after that and it hasn't flooded yet...."knock on wood".

 

[ChrisM]

Happens all the time

Pressure causing o rings to seat, as someone else sadi

no worries

 

[marpacifica]

This happens to my PT-010 too. I routinely dive between 60 and 100 feet (max housing depth rating), and have occasionally gone to 110-120 feet without any visible cracks. The housing does CREAK though, and it's a bit scary at first but you get used to it. I reported on another post that I know someone who kept pushing his PT-010 past the max depth and eventually small hairline cracks formed. In the end the whole housing glazed like a car windshield that is entirely cracked. So unless you're repeatedly going below the max depth the PT-010 is rated for, I wouldn't worry, especially if you keep your O-rings in good shape.

 

[wetman]

pt015 - happens to me too

 

[MonkSeal]

It happens to me on every dive. I made few dives at 50 m (167 ft) and nothing happened. It seems that PT-015 is pretty solid.